• Special Operations

  US SOCOM and Marine Corps test new Polaris MRZR Alpha 6x6

  5th May 2024

  Polaris’s MRZR Alpha 6x6 is undergoing testing by US SOCOM and the Marine Corps, exploring its enhanced capabilities in logistics and precision fires across various US locations.

• Land Warfare

  India ramps up ammo production for export

  22nd May 2024

  India has been looking to expand domestic ammunition production amid global shortages and increasing demand.

• Air Warfare

  Belgian F-35A completes first flight

  17th May 2024

  The Belgian Air Force’s first F-35A Lightning II has taken flight, showcasing the national flag, with the first force’s first four F-35As set to head to Luke AFB for initial training amid software upgrade delays.

• Land Warfare

  Patria plans for improvements to CAVS 6x6

  29th April 2024

  In January 2020, the Finnish Ministry of Defence and Latvia signed a Technical Arrangement to develop the Patria 6x6 armoured wheeled vehicle chassis platform.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Tekever unveils new swarm-controlling UAS

  24th April 2024

  Tekever has manufactured the AR3, AR4 and AR5 UAS with all systems sharing common electronics and software architecture, which has enabled the reuse of ground segment elements within the new ARX UAS.

• Air Warfare

  Hanwha Aerospace to reveal new KF-21 engine prototype at Farnborough

  19th July 2024

  South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace will launch its new engine at the Farnborough International Airshow 2024 as it aims to sell it to international customers.

• Air Warfare

  The Philippines prepares for high-end fighter operations

  24th September 2024

  The Southeast Asian country’s air force is broadening the warfighting mission sets of its FA-50PH by shifting focus towards offensive counter air, defensive counter air and ground attack missions.

• Digital Battlespace

  Steatite nears completion of order for Crib rugged mobile operations hub

  6th November 2023

  Steatite‘s Crib is a ruggedised universal C2 terminal which incorporates multi-function displays enabled with Persistent Systems Wave Relay Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) radio.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin conducts first flight of U-2 Avionics Tech Refresh programme

  28th September 2023

  Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works has successfully completed the first flight of the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft Avionics Tech Refresh (ATR) programme, an effort to upgrade the type's capabilities for the future battlespace.

• Air Warfare

  Hanwha Aerospace to supply KF-21 fighter jet engines under $401 million deal

  26th June 2024

  The KF-21 Boramae, a fighter aircraft manufactured by Korean Aerospace Industries, resembles the design of the F-35A and was a result of almost US$8 billion invested by South Korea to develop an indigenous fighter.

• Naval Warfare

  Navantia offers new corvette design to Australia

  8th November 2023

  Industry contenders have been lining up their offerings for a potential new ‘Tier 2’ surface combatant for the Royal Australian Navy at the Indo-Pacific Maritime exhibition in Sydney.

• Air Warfare

  Greece kicks off talks to buy Black Hawk helicopters

  11th October 2023

  Greece's request for the Black Hawks is currently in the process of evaluation by the US Defence Cooperation office and the delivery timeline is estimated to be around three years from the finalisation of the contract.

• Air Warfare

  Israeli Air Force to receive first KC-46A aerial refuelling aircraft in May 2025

  31st July 2024

  The delivery would mark an end to long delays in the programme with additional aircraft expected through to 2027.

• Land Warfare

  US Southern Command seeks industry partners to modernise its ISR inventory

  22nd November 2023

  SOUTHCOM is interested in testing advanced sensors and technologies fitted with artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, as well as with renewable energy or alternative power sources.

• Naval Warfare

  Kongsberg, Diehl, MBDA to develop supersonic strike missile for Germany and Norway

  14th May 2024

  The 3SM Tyrfing supersonic strike missile will succeed the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) currently in use on Norwegian naval vessels from 2035, with Germany yet to announce its deployment plans.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Maritime patrol

  P-8 Poseidon [South Korea]

  Programme Background South Korea is facing an imminent submarine threat from North Korea. The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is operating an aging fleet of P-3C ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER ISR - Kuwait

  Feb 2018: The US State Department has approved an estimated $259m potential foreign military sale of King Air 350ER intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-2 (Japan)

  Programme BackgroundKawasaki Heavy Industries developed the C-2 for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to replace its Kawasaki C-1 and Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules fleets. ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Death Adder RTV 2 (Options)

  Programme Background The 2nd Commando Regiment currently operates an RTV designed and manufactured by Australia's Bale Defence. These were delivered between 2014 and 2015. Intended ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Teal 2 (Customs and Border Protection Force) [US]

  Programme Background First Order Global News Wire reported that Red Cat had filled an order for 54 Teal 2 units from the US Customs and ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Death Adder RTV 2

  Programme Background The 2nd Commando Regiment currently operates an RTV designed and manufactured by Australia's Bale Defence. These were delivered between 2014 and 2015. Intended ...

• Mine-protected vehicles, MPVs - 4x4

  Ara 2 (Chad - Options)

  Programme Background The Chadian Armed Forces have a requirement for mine-resistant armoured vehicles to provide protected mobility to troops deployed on operations against hostile forces. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was intended to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Fuchs 2 Local Assembly

  The Fuchs 2 will replace a variety of legacy APCs currently in service with the Algerian Army including the Panhard M3 VTT, the BTR-60 and ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VTLM 2 (2021 Contract)

  Programme Background Requirements The Italian Army's current fleet of VTLMs based on the original Iveco Defence Vehicles LMV-1 is suffering from technological obsolescence and the ...

• OPVs

  River Class Batch 2

  Programme Background BAE Systems developed an improved version at the River class Batch 1 ships (which first entered service in 2003), to be dubbed the ...

• ISR/special mission

  RC-2 - Japan

  Programme Background Japan has decided to develop its own EW aircraft to oppose China and Russia, countries that are already reinforcing their own EW capabilities. ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton - Germany (Cancelled)

  Programme Background Germany requested to buy four MQ-4C Triton HALE UAVs from Northrop Grumman. On 5 April 2018, the US State Department announced that it ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VTLM 2 Phase 1 (Funded)

  Programme Background Requirements The Italian Army's current fleet of VTLMs based on the original Iveco Defence Vehicles LMV-1 is suffering from technological obsolescence and the ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VTLM 2 Phase 2 (Funded)

  Programme Background Requirements The Italian Army's current fleet of VTLMs based on the original Iveco Defence Vehicles LMV-1 is suffering from technological obsolescence and the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  AN/AAQ-14

  The AN/AAQ-14 LANTIRN (Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night) targeting pod is a crucial component of the LANTIRN system, developed by Martin Marietta ...

• EO/IR systems

  AN/AAQ-27A

  In production for USMC MV-22 Osprey tiltrotors, the AAQ-27A allows pilots to see through darkness, smoke, haze and adverse weather. The third-generation medium-wave IR system ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/AAQ-45

  Leonardo’s AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures is designed to equip rotorcraft. The system is being installed on Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters used ...

• EO/IR systems

  AN/AAQ-13

  The AN/AAQ-13 is a navigation pod developed by Martin Marietta (now part of Lockheed Martin) for the U.S. Air Force. It is a key component ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/AAQ-24(V)

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/AAQ-24(V) is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect large aircraft. The system has been used to protect both military aircraft and ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, EO/IR systems

  AN/AAQ-37 DAS

  The AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) comprises six high-resolution infrared sensors mounted around the aircraft's airframe to provide seamless, spherical coverage (4π steradians).  The DAS ...

• EO/IR systems

  AN/AAQ-29A

  In production for USMC CH-53E and USAF HH-60G platforms, the medium-wave IR AAQ-29A is similar to the AN/AAQ-27A, the difference being its incorporation of an ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Guardian

  Northrop Grumman’s Guardian Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) is intended to product airliners and large aircraft against IR-guided missiles, principally surface-to-air missiles fired from Man-Portable Air ...

• EO/IR systems

  LITENING

  The LITENING Advanced Targeting Pod is an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) system designed to detect, acquire, identify, and track targets over extended ranges.  It supports diverse mission ...

• EO/IR systems

  LANTIRN

  The Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) system increases the combat effectiveness of fighter aircraft, allowing them to fly at low altitudes, at night ...

• Combat Search and Rescue

  Saab 340B+ / SAR-200

  The Saab 340B+, known also as SAR-200, is a search and rescue aircraft based on the Saab 340 regional airliner.  It is powered by two CT7-9B turboprop ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS

  AN/AAR-54(V)

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/AAR-54(V) is a Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS) designed for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. The MAWS employs ultraviolet sensing to detect the hot ...

• EW test systems

  Meon v3

  Developed as an end-to-end confidence flight-line test set for stimulation and radiometric measurement of MWS/IRCM systems. It is compatible with ALQ-144, ALQ-157, ALQ-204 Matador, AAQ-24 ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  SISCM

  The Suite of Integrated Sensors and Countermeasures (SISCM) is designed to provide an integrated, multi-sensor threat warning and countermeasures capability using off-the-shelf technology for helicopters ...

• Combat Search and Rescue

  HC-130P/N

  HC-130P/N is a SAR aircraft developed as extended-range version of C-130 Hercules transport airframe to execute all weather personnel recovery operations from austere airfields and ...